Pulmonary surfactant based liposome complex for inhalation delivery of mRNA

Abstract

After the declaration of a global pandemic caused by the COVID-19, the development of therapeutic drugs using inhalation delivery of mRNA is drawing a huge attention. Currently, the most widely known mRNA carriers are ionizable lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), which compensate for the shortcomings of previously known cationic lipid particles. However, because of the structural instability coming from shearing stress of aerosolization process and the disturbance of the pulmonary surfactant layer in the human body, papers have been continuously published that LNP is not efficient in delivering mRNA into the lungs. Therefore, in this study, we develop an mRNA-liposome complex based on animal-derived pulmonary surfactant that can deliver mRNA into the lungs and overcome the disadvantages of the existing LNPs.